Families move often and for various reasons. In fact, the average American can expect to move an estimated 11.4 times during his or her lifetime. Moving can be a sign of opportunity, such as a new job or long-term wealth accumulation. But also move because of instability such as foreclosure or job loss. The key in either case is to choose an area that’s both economically prosperous and a pleasant place to live.

With that in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 46 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation. While obviously not perfect — given personal preferences and the limitations of publicly available data — our findings will hopefully give movers a sense of the areas that offer the greatest opportunity to achieve Wallet Fitness and live a long and happy life.